Police ticket hundreds of drivers for speeding over May long weekend

Police handed out more than 500 speeding tickets over the May long weekend, including to one driver who was caught not once – but twice – excessively speeding within four hours in Chilliwack.

That driver, who wasn’t named by police, was first ticketed for driving 130 km/h in a residential zone, only to be stopped in a different vehicle four hours later for driving 160 km/h on Highway 1 in Chilliwack, RCMP said in a news release Tuesday (May 19).

Broken down by region, Greater Victoria saw the most infractions, with 295 tickets written over two days – 259 for speeding and seven for excessive speeding, which is when a driver is clocked travelling more than 39 kilometres over the posted speed limit.

A further 17 vehicles were impounded for excessive speeding across the rest of Vancouver Island.

In Merritt, police stopped a vehicle on Highway 5 with four occupants, including one wearing a seat belt, driving 75 km/h over the speed limit.

Four vehicles were impounded for excessive speeding in the Squamish area. One of those drivers was given a 90-day driving prohibition for driving impaired.

Nineteen excessive speeding tickets were doled out in the Lower Mainland, while 179 speeders were caught across northern B.C., as well as 57 others in southeastern B.C.

A total of 150 vehicles were impounded specifically for excessive speeding.

Ironically, the noticeable spike in excessive speed offences comes during the RCMP’s high risk driving campaign, which runs through the month of May.

“Last week I stated that this spike in excessive speed violations is concerning and unacceptable,” says Supt. Turton. “That sentiment has not changed and I am disappointed that there are drivers who continue to choose to break the law and put themselves and others in risk. This is not a game. Our officers will continue to demonstrate their commitment to road safety. There is no excuse, including COVID-19, for this kind of high risk driving behaviour anywhere in our province.”